Ebersberg Felsenmeer
 |
| Ebersberg Felsenmeer |
When most people hear the name “felsenmeer”, they automatically think of the giant boulders spilling down the side of the Felsberg in the western part of the Odenwald, not far from the Bergstrasse. If you've ever visited that felsenmeer, you know that, while it is awe-inspiring, it can be a bit crowded at times. Should you prefer somewhere more secluded, where you can spend a quite time communing with nature, you may wish to visit the Odenwald's smaller "sea of stones", known as the Ebersberg Felsenmeer, lying some 40 kilometers to the east of its larger cousin, near the town of Erbach-Bullau.
 |
| Ebersberg Felsenmeer |
Though both locations are host to a “sea” of large boulders and lie in the Odenwald, the similarities largely end at that point. Unlike the boulders at Felsberg, which are made of melaquarzdiorite, the stones at Ebersberg are made of bunter sandstone (Buntsandstein), a much softer, porous sedimentary rock. The structure of the stones allows moss and other vegetation to attach to the boulders, causing the stones to appear to be the more ancient of the two. This is, however, inaccurate. The stones at Felsberg are much older than those of Ebersberg, which were formed during the Tertiary period.
Another difference between the two felsenmeers is that the Ebersberg stones are found in the Hinterer Odenwald (also called the Buntsandstein Odenwald), while the Felsberg lies in the Vorderer Odenwald (also called the Crystalline Odenwald). The southeast border of these two regions is a bit hard to define but measures roughly 34 kilometers from Ober-Kinzig to Heiligkreuzsteinach. The difference in the two landscapes becomes more pronounced the further east you go, with the mixed forests of the Vorderer Odenwald giving way to largely coniferous forests of the Hinterer Odenwald.
 |
| Ebersberg Felsenmeer |
Geologic Processes in the Hinterer Odenwald
 |
| Ebersberg Felsenmeer |
The Hinterer Odenwald, where the Ebersberg Felsenmeer lies, consists mainly of sand, silt and claystone, which were deposited about 250 million years ago in the Triassic period, in what was then
largely a river and lake landscape. At that time, the climate was quite dry and the large river systems which transported rock debris often fell dry due to drought. This resulted in the formation of a basin in which sand was deposited and, over the course of time, condensed and cemented into sandstone.
In the many millions of years during and after the formation of the variegated sandstone, geological processes caused the area to rise and fall, sometimes above sea level and sometimes below. During this time, further layers of rock were added, though over time the most elevated rock layers were also increasingly eroded. In the Vorderer Odenwald all layers have disappeared down to the crystalline bedrock, the result of which are the huge boulders you see on the Felsberg. In the eastern Odenwald, at the Ebersberg Felsenmeer, the layers of the Buntsandstein have been preserved, giving the area a vastly different appearance to its easterly cousin.
Getting there
Unlike the Felsberg Felsenmeer, there is no car park or visitors center at the Ebersberg site. It is a quite, rather secluded place which can only be accessed by hiking or biking on a nature trail.
 |
| Ebersberg Felsenmeer |
The nearest village is at Erbach-Bulau, which you can access from the B45. Once in the village, follow the sign "Felsenmeer". This will lead you to a narrow road which you should follow until you get to the waterworks. From there, follow the nature path, B2, which will lead you directly to Felsenmeer in about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can park at the nature car park, Gebhardshütte, and then take trail number one. The hike from there takes approximately 25 minutes.
Sources
“Das Ebersberger Felsenmeerg.” Geocaching.com, 10 June 2015, www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC64NFP_das-ebersberger-felsenmeer?guid=d4ca2280-6a0f-4bbd-870f-74956f89a7e4.
No comments:
Post a Comment